I am a very independent, positive and determined person, some might say a true stubborn Taurean lol.....but I have been battling with back pain since 1999 when I stepped off the path to cross the road and was in immediate agony. Sciatic pain in both legs started in 2005. Between 2005 and 2012 I was admitted to hospital twice as an emergency, received more than 20 lots of pain management injections, had countless X-rays and MRI scans, underwent osteopathy, chiropractic and physio treatment, took many types of anti-inflammatories and pain relief but each one only offered short term relief and the pain returned time after time. I was finally diagnosed in July 2012 and told I needed surgery to save my spinal nerves from being squashed so badly that I would be paralysed if I didn't have the surgery. After having two major back decompression surgeries in 2012 and 2015 the nerves in my spine have not recovered. I had further procedures in 2016 to destroy some of the nerves that branch out of the spine but that didn't have the desired effect to relieve the pain and electric shocks I was experiencing. The outcome from the second surgery has been life changing. I no longer work or can do the hobby I loved with my super dogs. I struggle on a daily basis with pain and muscle spasms, heavy aching, fatigue and the ability to do many every day things because the nerves in my spinal cord are still damaged from the reasons I needed surgery. If you would like to read my story find my first blog post called Suz is 'Swimming in the middle'